Write to Publish: Writing feature articles for magazines, newspapers, and corporate and community publications

216 Pages·1999·0.86 MB·English

by  Vin Maskell & Gina Perry

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WRITE to
PUBLISH
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WRITE to
PUBLISH
Writing feature articles for magazines, newspapers,
and corporate and community publications
Vin Maskell & Gina Perry
ALLEN & UNWIN
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Copyright © Vin Maskell & Gina Perry 1999
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and
retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.
First published in 1999
Allen & Unwin
9 Atchison Street, St Leonards NSW 1590 Australia
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: frontdesk @allen-unwin.com.au
Web: http://www.allen-unwin.com.au
National Library of Australia
Cataloguing-in-Publication entry:
Maskell, Vin, 1959– .
Write to publish: writing feature articles for magazines, newspapers,
and corporate and community publications.
Includes index.
ISBN 1 86448 998 7.
1. Journalism—Authorship. 2. Creative writing. I. Perry, Gina. II. Title.
070.4
Set in 11/13 pt Adobe Garamond by DOCUPRO, Sydney
Printed by Australian Print Group, Maryborough, Vic.
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To my brother Mark, for his words; to my mother
Margaret, for her love. (VM)
To my parents, Pat and George, for their love and
encouragement. (GP)
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Contents
WRITE TO PUBLISH
CONTENTS
Preface xiii
1 Writing feature articles 1
Magazines 1
Newspapers 2
Periodicals and corporate publications 2
Opportunities for writers 3
Writing styles 3
Defining feature articles 4
Purpose and technique 6
Features and fiction 6
The feature writer 6
Summary 11
Exercises 11
2 Being a professional writer 16
Physical space 16
The tools of the trade 17
Two desks 18
Your health 18
Cutting costs 19
Make time and set goals 19
Meeting deadlines 21
Don’t give up your day job—yet 22
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viii WRITE TO PUBLISH
Allow time for running a business 23
Professional development and reviewing goals 23
Defamation, copyright and ethics 25
Summary 29
Exercises 30
3 Studying the marketplace 33
The editor’s baby 33
The search begins 34
Directories 35
The inside information 36
Further afield 36
Publication profiles—know your market
intimately 39
Summary 40
Exercises 41
4 Good ideas 42
Start with what you know 43
Move on to who you know 43
Study your market 44
Know your readers 44
Put your ideas antennae up 44
Write your ideas down 45
Treat ideas kindly 45
Don’t talk your idea away 45
Prime your unconscious mind 45
Try something new 46
Look actively for other sources of story ideas 46
Select which ideas to write about 48
Congratulate yourself when someone beats you
to it 49
Summary 51
Exercises 52
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CONTENTS ix
5 Types of articles 54
Profiles 55
Travel profiles 56
As-told-to stories 56
Instructional articles 57
List articles 58
News feature stories 59
Promotional articles 59
First-person articles 59
Comment pieces 60
Reviews 60
Summary 62
Exercises 62
6 Research 64
Your angle dictates your research 66
Types of research 67
Sources for research 68
Research rules 69
Research leads to more story ideas 71
Summary 73
Exercises 74
7 Interviewing 77
Background briefing 77
Arranging questions 78
Making the appointment 78
Where to interview 80
Dress and appearance 81
Punctuality 82
Those first few minutes 82
The interview proper 82
Dumb questions, not stupid questions 83
Taking notes 83
Thinking on three levels 83
Pauses, silences and interruptions 84
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x WRITE TO PUBLISH
Reliable equipment 84
The last few minutes 84
After the interview 84
Transcribing 86
Phone interviews 87
On-line and e-mail interviews 88
The reluctant interviewee 88
Vetting the story 89
Enjoying the interview 89
Summary 89
Exercises 90
8 Writing skills 92
Write well 92
Keep your reader in mind 93
Be concise 94
Avoid pompous words 95
Prune empty words 96
Avoid tautologies 96
Use concrete words 96
Keep your writing lively 97
Choose strong nouns and verbs 97
Use active voice 98
Write for rhythm and meaning 100
Summary 103
Exercises 103
Answers to exercises 106
9 Drafting and crafting 109
Write a draft 109
Write first, edit later 110
Read your research notes 110
Revisit your angle/theme 111
Structure your story 112
Choose quotes 113
Make quotes flow 114
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